Nutmeg Chapter Trout Unlimited

Written by NutmegTrout21707Aug, 2015

Sunday evening fishing!

Panfishing

When – Sunday August 16^th, 5pm (evening)

Where – Hope Lake, Shelton parking lot on Nells Rock road in Shelton

Coordinator – David Edgeworth cell # 203 627-5817

You must RSVP if you are interested

There are 3 lakes to fish, all are accessible from shore or allow Kayaks and Canoes

Hope Lake, Silent Lake and Pine Lake

You can use bait, lures or Fly fish, whatever you are into, all is allowed at these lakes. Bring your fishing gear, and water. Bring your kayaks, canoes, and waders.

Written by NutmegTrout21707Jul, 2015

Saturday fly fishing!

Calendar of Events

Board Meeting, Tues evening, July 7, 2015, has been rescheduled to August.

Fishing Meetup, Saturday, July 11, 2015, 10 AM to 3 PM. Dave and Tristan will lead the clinic for Smallmouth Bass with river maps, and fly and spin casting instructions. The clinic will last about 30 minutes. Meet at the Housatonic Meadows State Park, across the road from the old Orvis Fly Shop. Yes, you will need your fishing gear, waders, and beverages/food. If you have more questions, Contact Dave Wilgan at his email: dave@wilganinsurance.com

Fly Tying at Chuck’s, Tues evening, July 14,, 2015, 7 PM Trumbull. Contact Chuck MacMath at cmacmath59@yahoo.com . The fly tying group will meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month from 7-9 pm. The cost is $2.00 per session to cover the cost of materials. Email cmacmath59@yahoo.com with questions or additional information. All are welcome, beginners are encouraged to attend. Vises, tools and materials are available if needed.

Fly Tying at Chuck’s, Tues evening, July 28, 2015, 7 PM Trumbull. Contact Chuck MacMath at cmacmath59@yahoo.com .

Board Meeting, Tues evening, August 4, 2015,at the Fairfield Library, 7 PM. Please RSVP to Rich Rosen, rhrosen@aol.com .

Fishing Meetup, Aug TBD, 2015, a weekday evening, Dave Edgeworth to lead in Shelton. Bring your canoe or kayak.

Written by NutmegTrout21718Jun, 2015

Calendar of Events

Calendar of Events, fishing and tying.

A Fishing Meetup is planned for Sunday, Feb 21, 2016. Meet at the pull-off parking area near Park Ave and Buck Hill Rd, Easton, at 10 AM. Bring your small stream fishing gear, water, snacks, and dress appropriately. Contact Chuck Petrucelli for questions at chuckp@optonline.net .

Fly Tying at Chuck’s, Tues evening, Feb 23, 2016, 7 PM Trumbull. Contact Chuck MacMath at cmacmath59@yahoo.com . The fly tying group will meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month from 7-9 pm. The cost is $2.00 per session to cover the cost of materials. Email Chuck with questions or additional information. All are welcome, beginners are encouraged to attend. Vises, tools and materials are available if needed.

Fly Tying at Chuck’s, Tues evening, March 8, 2016, 7 PM Trumbull. Contact Chuck MacMath at cmacmath59@yahoo.com . The fly tying group will meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month from 7-9 pm. The cost is $2.00 per session to cover the cost of materials. Email Chuck with questions or additional information. All are welcome, beginners are encouraged to attend. Vises, tools and materials are available if needed.

TU Nutmeg meeting, Tues, March 15, 2016, 7 PM at Port 5, 69 Brewster St., Bridgeport, CT. Our speaker will be announced before the meeting.

First Annual Long Island Fly Fishing Expo, March 19th, 2016: Long Island and Art Flick Chapters of TU, in partnership with the Long Island Fly Rodders, the Salty Fly Rodders, River Bay Outfitters and The Fisherman Magazine, are conducting the 1st Annual Long Island Fly Fishing Expo on March 19th, 2016 from 10am to 5pm at the Holiday Inn – Plainview, Long Island, 215 Sunnyside Blvd, Plainview, NY 11803. The event will include many fly tyers, guides, outfitters and manufacturers, along with presentations & films on fly fishing and fly casting. Admission is $10.00 for adults and FREE for children under 18 with a paid adult. For additional information, call Paul McCain, Expo Coordinator, at 516-415-7748.

Fly Tying at Chuck’s, Tues evening, March 22, 2016, 7 PM Trumbull. Contact Chuck MacMath at cmacmath59@yahoo.com . The fly tying group will meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month from 7-9 pm. The cost is $2.00 per session to cover the cost of materials. Email Chuck with questions or additional information. All are welcome, beginners are encouraged to attend. Vises, tools and materials are available if needed.

Fishing outing by RSVP on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. The club will return to Limestone Trout Club for a full day with lunch included this year for $30. Contact Rich Rosen at RHRosen@aol.com for questions and to reserve your spot. Only 30 spots are available.

Written by NutmegTrout21718Jun, 2015

Volunteer for the Mill River work session.

Mill River Habitat Improvement Project

As a reminder this Saturday, June 20th, from 9:00 am until noon we will be working on controlling the Japanese knotweed on the Congress Street section of the Mill River in Fairfield, CT. Saturday weather prediction is perfect for this activity, sunny high of 75 F. All ages of volunteers are invited to come out and support your chapter in this effort. If you are not a chapter member, you too are invited also. For your own comfort wear long pants, long sleeve shirt, and sturdy shoes/boots; bring your work gloves. There is a lot of poison ivy indigenous on the site.

We will meet at the footbridge on Congress Street, in Fairfield, CT. This is the border between Fairfield and Easton. Congress runs parallel to the Merritt Parkway.

Our chapter is in the 3rd year of controlling the knotweed, 2nd worst invasive in the U.S., at this location. We have treated the invasive with chemical for two years. This has resulted in reducing the amount of knotweed to a point that can managed through cutting. Cutting should occur twice a year. Once in June to stress the knotweed’s rhizome and once in September before it flowers to stop seeding and to stress the rhizome.

This Saturday we will cut the knotweed with sickles for the June event. This is actually quite a satisfying exercise. This pernicious weed can sprout from the cuttings and there is no place that will take it. What we will do is wrap the cuttings in black plastic to contain the weed and leave on site to die. Once dead it can be safely mulched.

Come out, volunteer, and enjoy the camaraderie of this volunteer effort. Bring a family member or friend. As I said above cutting down this stuff is fun.

See you on Saturday!

Charles Petruccelli | President | Nutmeg Chapter Trout Unlimited

Contact Chuck Petrucelli at chuckp@optonline.net for details and RSVP.

Written by NutmegTrout21702Jun, 2015

From Ron Merly’s desk, May 24th

As I write this report, the state as well as all of New England, could use a few good rain storms. The rain deficit is currently more than 2″ and all of the smaller streams are very low. The Housatonic has just been re-stocked for the Memorial Day weekend but there is a heavy algae bloom occurring due to the water levels dropping so quickly at this time of the year. The upper Naugatuck was recently re-stocked as well but is running extremely low. The Farmington has been consistently stocked and is loaded with trout but the water is very clear and flows are down, making it difficult to catch fish during the day. Mornings and evenings are your best bet but if you are there during the day, fish nymphs unless you see fish rising.

I spent some time up in Vermont this past week and had all intentions of fishing the lower Black River in Cavendish. It was literally puddles so I did not fish. There were some very nice fish in some of the holes, and yet, if I hooked them, the fish would not have any water for them to run, which is why I decided not fish.

I also fished the Pomperaug River recently which is prone to low flows but the river is extremely low at present (I urge all of you to go and see it). The Connecticut Siting Council recently approved the construction of the Towantic Power Plant in Oxford. I can’t begin to imagine how they will be drawing more than 1 million gallons of water out of that river system annually and what condition it will be in during a drought such as this. But it now makes perfect sense to me as to why Governor Malloy merged the Department of Energy with the Department of Environmental Protection a few years back. DEEP’s hands were completely tied on this issue. I suggest writing the legislature on the subject of conflict of interest within these departments being merged as one, using the construction of a Power plant that we do not need as a perfect example. Remember, this affects the Pomperaug River, Sprain Brook, the Weekeepeemee River, the Nonewaug River, the Little River, and the Naugatuck River, the entire Housatonic River estuary as well as Long Island Sound. Power plants are notorious for attracting invasive species due to the warm water outflow.

Newtown recently appealed to Aquarion to pipe water from the Easton Reservoir over to Newtown obviously because they are aware that the power plant will make water scarce in that area. Luckily, it was denied by DEEP but watch out for more of these requests. Meanwhile, the future of the Mill in Easton (Running Brook Farm) hangs in the balance.

Poaching also remains rampant this year. If you witness poachers, call the state hotline, 800-842-4357. I know we’ve all done it with little results but if they receive hundreds of calls, maybe something might change.

Wishing I had better news for the report,

Ron Merly

Written by NutmegTrout21702Jun, 2015

Trout in the Classroom Liberate Their Fish

Trout in the Classroom Programs Liberate Their Fish

Statewide schools participating in Trout Unlimited’s Trout in the Classroom program are releasing the trout they have raised in their classroom since the eggs hatched. The Brown Trout (eggs provided by the Kensington State Fish Hatchery) are being released to local rivers and streams. Students have spent many hours caring for and learning about the needs of Brown Trout. Good luck to all of the fry raised and released by these students. Contact CT Trout Unlimited for more information about the Trout in the Classroom program. Ed Albrecht is our state wide coordinator. And Dave Edgeworth is our Nutmeg TIC coordinator.

Written by NutmegTrout21702Jun, 2015

Farmington River Fishing Cancelled, Join us on the Pequonnock.

Fly Tying at Chuck’s, Tues evening, June 9, 2015, 7 PM Trumbull. Contact Chuck MacMath at cmacmath59@yahoo.com. The fly tying group will meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month from 7-9 pm. The cost is $2.00 per session to cover the cost of materials. Email cmacmath59@yahoo.com with questions or additional information. All are welcome, beginners are encouraged to attend. Vises, tools and materials are available if needed.

Fishing Meetup Weekend, Fri-Sat-Sunday, for June12-14, 2015 is cancelled. This event has been rescheduled to one day, June 13th.

Fishing Meetup Scheduled for Sat, June13, 2015 on the Pequonnock, 10AM to 3 PM. Contact Chuck MacMath at cmacmath59@yahoo.com or text to 203-260-1829 for details and to RSVP. Bring your waders, gear, food and drinks; spin or fly fishing allowed. Meet near the river and Whitney Ave in Trumbull.

Chapter meeting, Tues, June 16, 2015, 6:00 – 9 PM, at Lake Mohegan Cascades for fishing and BBQ. The club will provide the hot dogs and you bring the chips, side dish, or dessert, and your beverages. Contact Chuck MacMath at cmacmath59@yahoo.com or text to 203-260-1829 for details or to RSVP. Bring your fishing gear too! Reach the Cascades parking from Morehouse Hwy in Fairfield in the Lake Mohegan area.

Volunteers will be needed, all ages, on Sat, June 20^th, to continue the knotweed eradication work near the Mill River. Bring your work gloves and boots; the cutting tools and bottled water will be supplied for this work session. Meet at 9 AM at the footbridge on Congress St between Easton and Fairfield. Contact Chuck Petrucelli at chuckp@optonline.net for details and RSVP.

Fly Tying at Chuck’s, Tues evening, June 23, 2015, 7 PM Trumbull. Contact Chuck MacMath at cmacmath59@yahoo.com.

Fishing Meetup, July 11, 2015, 10 AM to 3 PM, Dave and Tristan Wilgan to lead group in a search for Smallmouth Bass

Fishing Meetup, Aug TBD, 2015, a weekday evening, Dave Edgeworth to lead in Shelton. Bring your canoe or kayak.

Written by NutmegTrout21714May, 2015

Patagonia Adventures at Chapter meeting, May 19, Port 5, Bridgeport

Bill Closs will discuss his recent trip to Patagonia, Argentina, for our May meeting.

Bill Closs is a lifelong fly fisherman, with many fly fishing adventures and trips to all of the New England States, as well as, New York, Penn., Montana, Georgia, Florida, Alaska, Michigan, Quebec, Canada, Kamchatka, Russia, and Patagonia, Argentina, and Belize. Trips to the Amazon and Mongolia are scheduled for 2016. Many of these trips have been made by private plane that he flies for business and pleasure. Yes, he has even joined our Nutmeg TU group on our past outings to the Catskills.

He owns property 10 minutes from the Farmington River near Riverton, CT, and in Rangeley, Maine where he fly fishes extensively in both places.

The presentation on Patagonia is approx. 50 pictures of rafting, camping, and fishing the Alumine and Le Mas Rivers in Patagonia, Argentina. The base camp lodge for the fishing group is also a working cattle ranch.

Bill Closs is a fellow angler and his presentation will consist of a brief review of pictures and commentary, and then he will be open to questions and discussion.

Bring your questions! If you have ever wanted to fish outside of the US, this is an excellent opportunity to find out how you might accomplish this type of travel!

Written by NutmegTrout21714May, 2015

Some news from National TU!

2015 TU Northeast Regional Meeting Providence, RI – May 30, 31

Saturday and Sunday workshops in Providence, RI.

The Northeast Regional Meeting is a great way to meet people like us who have taken an active role in leading our chapters and councils.

http://www.tu.org/sites/default/files/2015%20Northeast%20Regional%20Meeting%20-Draft%20Agenda.pdf

Take the Survey and Share it with Your Members and You Could Win a Helios 2!

In an effort to better understand our members, Trout Unlimited is surveying our entire membership. The survey should take only about 30 minutes to complete and when you finish you’ll be entered into a drawing to win the grand prize of a custom TU Helios 2 fly rod, custom TU Vedavoo slingpack, custom TU Cortland Line, a TU hat, and an assortment of flies.

By taking this survey you are helping us serve you and your interests when it comes to conservation, fishing and opinions on critical issues impacting trout and salmon.

You have only until May 21 to complete the survey and be entered into the drawing. Don’t wait. Take it today and share the survey link with your members in chapter newsletters, on your website and Facebook account, and more.

Written by NutmegTrout21714May, 2015

Aquatic center leads pack for South Park, pending final decision, Easton Courier

The town-owned property on South Park Avenue commanded center stage once again at the May 7 Board of Selectmen meeting with updates and modifications and a new proposal.

The three selectmen inched closer to making a decision on the future of the 29-acre property the town paid $6.1 million to purchase in 2008 to prevent dense development. The town still owes roughly $5 million on it since the final option for the New England Prayer Center, which intended to buy it, fell through last year.

Additionally, the selectmen denied a petition for a Town Meeting to adopt a land use ordinance requiring Town Meeting approval of the acquisition of property valued at $10,000 or more. If the ordinance were in effect, the Town Meeting would make the decision on the property. (See related article.)

Most, but not all, of the residents who packed the conference room at Town Hall for the meeting oppose the sale of the property and want to keep it as open space or a park.

The selectmen have heard five proposals since the New England Prayer Center lost its final option to purchase the property after six years and several lawsuits.